


time to take time

by fishyspots



Series: prompts [5]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Boys In Love, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Happy Birthday David Rose, How many ways can I tag birthday?, M/M, The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Patrick Brewer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishyspots/pseuds/fishyspots
Summary: “Have you had enough attention yet, or do you still require a gift?”“That is an exceptionally rude thing to say to someone on their birthday,” David replied primly. “And you should know by now that I always require a gift.”“Noted.” Patrick laughed. “Always requires a gift on his birthday. I’ll keep that in mind.”He wanted to be there for David’s next birthday. Maybe he’d even get David two gifts.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: prompts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822303
Comments: 14
Kudos: 157





	time to take time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maxbegone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxbegone/gifts).



> this one's for the lovely @maxbegone, who sent in a soft prompt for "shoulder kisses." i know i'm posting this late, but i promise it was on time on tumblr, if that means anything. 
> 
> title from "no time at all" from pippin, because apparently i have a theme with these titles and now i'm straining to fit it. 
> 
> come find me on tumblr at @fishyspots!

“Have you had enough attention yet, or do you still require a gift?”

“That is an exceptionally rude thing to say to someone on their birthday,” David replied primly. “And you should know by now that I always require a gift.”

“Noted.” Patrick laughed. “Always requires a gift on his birthday. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He wanted to be there for David’s next birthday. Maybe he’d even get David two gifts. It was their anniversary, too, after all. David told him he was pulling focus the few times he’d brought that up in the days leading up to today. He’d probably be more open to celebrating both if he knew there was a second present in it for him. Next year—and the year after, and, if he was exceptionally lucky, the year after that one—he’d have to try that angle.

“I think I just said I always require a gift. Not sure I limited you to one day a year.”

“With the gifts you’ve been hinting at? There are many things limiting me to one day a year. Money. Time. Energy.” Patrick trailed his fingers down David’s cheek. “The cognitive dissonance that would result from spending hundreds of dollars on face masks.”

David made a disagreeable noise, but he let Patrick tug him closer on the couch. Ray was out for the night; Patrick still couldn’t believe his luck that, of all days, Ray’s cousin’s daughter’s school play was scheduled to open on David’s birthday, and Ray had actually planned to attend. He wasn’t arguing with the results, though. Patrick had initially wanted to take David to a hotel, but with the rest of his plans for David’s birthday, that hadn’t exactly been within his budget. But he wanted to make it special. He wanted David to have a special day, one that made up for the freezer-burned mozzarella sticks and almost-definitely corked bottle of wine they’d shared the first time around. David didn’t know it yet, but Patrick had quite the night planned. He’d managed to persuade David to accept a surprise by giving his boyfriend final veto power over any and all of Patrick’s plans, once revealed.

Phase one started now. Patrick pulled a folded-up envelope from his pocket and passed it to David. David’s long fingers closed around the thin package slowly. Patrick would say reverently if it wouldn’t make David break out in hives.

“Happy birthday.” Patrick dropped a quick kiss on David’s cheek.

“Thank you,” David said, fingers smoothing over the paper. He made no move to open the envelope.

“You haven’t even seen what it is yet,” Patrick said, holding back his laughter. Anticipation drew his shoulders back a little further and straightened his spine a fraction.

“Still,” David said. He opened the package and pulled out the tickets that Patrick had spent two whole hours designing on his computer. It would have been wasteful to buy real tickets.

“They’re basketball tickets,” Patrick said helpfully, taking in the furrow of David’s brow and the tilt of his chin. He wanted to frame the look of confusion David made in response and look at it first thing every morning.

“Basketball,” David said slowly. “That’s—the orange one?”

Patrick blinked. That was more than he expected David to know. Still, he soldiered on.

“I thought you might like to go tonight,” he said. He refused to laugh. He had to preserve the charade. “And we can go to the café first for dinner. Mozzarella sticks and wine, just like last year.”

Patrick adjusted his position on the couch so that he was facing David. The upcoming expression was one he wanted to take in fully.

But David surprised him.

“That sounds nice,” he said, sliding the tickets back into the envelope. “When do you think we should be at the café? So we’re not late for the…basketball.”

Patrick’s mouth dropped open. He looked a little closer at David—stubborn, particular David, who had not yet voiced his many complaints about this plan—and saw twin spots of color high on his cheeks. David always wore his emotions on his face. There was no way he was faking this reaction. There was a little scrunch in his nose, which suggested basketball wasn’t exactly his first choice, but David wasn’t going to make a fuss.

“That’s—David.” 

Patrick had a whole reveal planned. He was going to let David rant for a few minutes, then kiss David, slow and thorough, then pull back and say, _David, I know you a little better than that_. His real present was safe in the hall closet—Patrick had made a reservation at an Italian place in Elmdale and he’d promised five lip balms and a bottle of wine to Alexis so she would help him schedule a private tour of the art museum nearby, then Patrick was going to give David a selection of bath products from one of their newer vendors. David had raved about their goat’s milk lotion. It was going to be romantic and as high-end as Patrick could afford and exactly David’s speed. But David wasn’t letting Patrick tell him about it. He thought Patrick was the kind of guy who would get David basketball tickets. And. He didn’t seem to mind. Well, Patrick amended, he minded some. But not enough to use his veto.

David kept surprising him.

“David,” Patrick took a breath. “I’m—I didn’t get you basketball tickets.”

David frowned. He held up the envelope and shook it, a little, like he was reminding Patrick and himself that it was real.

“I mean,” Patrick said, ears heating, “this was—it’s not the real plan.”

David, who was unwilling to let Patrick even watch a hockey game when they were together but somehow willing to go to a basketball game on his birthday, was clearly confused.

“I’m not sure what this is, then.” David’s voice was tentative now. Unsure.

“It’s—” Patrick ran his hands through his hair. He was explaining this all wrong. “I made different plans. Better plans. And I thought you would use your veto, and.”

This was embarrassing.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

_There it was_. That look Patrick did all of this for. He thought he’d blown his chance to see David’s eyes widen like that and go soft. But there it was.

“And,” Patrick added, desperate to lighten the mood, “I wanted to do better than those mozzarella sticks. I like you a little more than that.”

“Okay, first of all, I liked those mozzarella sticks. Twyla’s just a terrible salesperson. The freezer burn wasn’t that bad.” David looked down at his hands, folding and unfolding the envelope.

“And anyway,” David said, eyes still trained on the paper he was fiddling with, “it’s not all about the mozzarella sticks.”

Patrick pressed his lips to David’s shoulder. Then he leaned back in and did it again. Overcome, he pressed his forehead against the spot he’d kissed.

“David.”

David hummed, fingers reaching out and rubbing across Patrick’s back. “Patrick.”

Patrick thought about how much David would let him get away with. He still got squirrelly when faced with the full force of Patrick’s feelings, sometimes. He would say something self-deprecating or make an excuse to leave the room. Once, he’d even insulted Patrick’s parents. Patrick was pretty sure that was an accident, though.

“It’s not just about the mozzarella sticks for me, either,” he settled on.

David’s hand rubbed his shoulder faster. “Of course not,” he murmured.

Patrick let out a breath. David’s voice was soft and open in a way that made Patrick determined. He wanted David to use that voice all the time.

“After all,” David continued, “you’ve always been more partial to their onion rings.”


End file.
